Circuit-closer for electric heating devices.



H. E. WELCHEL 5A. A. MgCRAY. CIRCUIT CLOSER FOR ElEcmm HEATING DEVICES.

APPLICATION mm ma 5.

Patented Dec.

M Y 5M6 5 E56 m m 0 m n M? am r w I 8. the upper end lhlfil hill l lll FlCE.

HERBERT E. 'WELGHEL AIID AARON A. MCCEAZY, OF INDIANAPOL IS, I NDIA NA.

CIRCUIT-CLOSER FOR ELECTRIC HEATING DEVICES.

specification of Letters Fatent.

latentea ll'ec. 31, 1918.

Application filed ldsrch 5, 1918. Serial No. 220/55.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that we, 'Hnnnns'r E. Wsix'nm. and Illinois A. Mold my, citizens of the United States and residents of Indianapolis. county of Marion. and Stateef Indiana. have invented certain new and useful (ircuit-tllosers for Electric Heating Devices; and we do hereby declare that the. followingis a fall, clear, and exact description thereof. reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts- This invention relates to circuit closers.

for electric heating devices, and is primarily designed for use in connection withheating devices for incubators, although it is to be understood that it is equally applicable for heating devices for radiators, hot water systems, steam plants, or devices any general heating purposes.

The prime feature of the invention the provision. in conjunction with a heating coil, of an automatic means for making and breaking the circuit to the heating coil, influenced by the temperature of the structure in which the circuit controlling means is placed, and a further feature of the invention is the provision of means for reventing an are forming at the points 0 contact between the circuit making and breaking mechanism. Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The full nature of theinvention will be undeiwtood from the accompanying drawand following description and claims: a detail. sectional view of the heating and circuit making and breaking mechanism as applied-to use and Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the circuit melting and breaking mechanism.

Referring to the'drawings in which similar reference numerals designate correspond ing parts throughout the several views. 1 indicates a boiler which comprises an outer shell 2 and an inner shell 3, the inner shell forming an opening The boiler 1 has pipes and (3 communi eating thcrewnh adjacent'l'he upper and lower edges respectively of l so ing's Figure l is the boiler, that the heated contents of the boiler may be conveyed to any suitable point. and caused to circulate.

In order to heat the contents of the boiler, a coil 7 is entered in the opening 4, said coil being wound around a porcelain spool or" the wire being attached 4 throughthe boiler. 'p

to a post 9, while the lower end of the wire is extended vertically from .the lower end of the spool and engages a pdstlO, the coil 7 and ends of the wire being embedded in a covering of fire clay 11, or similar material. thereby insulating the coil, and at the same time providing means for retaining the heat around the coil. 1

Extending vertically through the spool 8 is a rod 12 which passes through a plate 13, preferably ofasbestos or .similar substance. plate being at the lower end of the coil and forming a closure for the lower portion of the interior of the boiler. The upper end of the rod l2 passes through a plate It. also preferably of asbestos, said date being of sutlicicnt diameter to extend over the upper end of the boiler and form a support For the heating coil. Attachet to the post 9 is a Wire 16 which leads to a plug 16 which is to be attached to-an electric circuit. and a wire 17 is attached to the post 10. said wire leading to a contact point 18 in a switch box 19, said box having a partition 20 of insulating material to'whieh the contact 18 is secured.

In order to complete the circuit through the wires. a feed wire 21. one end of which is also attached to the plug 16. hasits'opposits end attached to a post 22 carried by the partition 20. Extending from the post 22 is a switch member 23 preferably constructed of a sheet of flexible metal and which projects over the contact 18 -and through one end wall of the box 19, said switch member having a contact 24- which coiiperates with the contact 18 for forming a circuit, an additional post being provided for holding the switch member against lateral swinging movement.

The switch member 2 is operated to make or brcalc the circuit through the medium of a thermostat 26 which may be of any preferred eonstri-iction. said thermostat having an arm 27 projecting therefrom which asses through a clip 28 at the free end of the switch member. said clip having a lining 29 of any suitable insulating material to prevent the current from passing into the arm at the end of the switch member. The arm 27 is pivoted at one end to a standard 80 so'that as the thermostat expands or contracts the switch member will be raised or lowered.

in order to prevent an are between the contacts 18 and any suitablev form of condenser 31 is positioned in the switch box 19, one pole 32 of the condenser being connected to the contact 18 while the opposite pole 33 is attached to the post 22, thus so controlling the flow of current through the points as to eliminate any spark -or are forming and thus. prolonging the life of the contact points.

In order to prevent short circuitiug between the posts 9 and 10 any suitable form of insulation 3 1 is placed around the end of the rod 12 and around the posts 9 and 10 while portions of the posts above the strips of insulation 34 are protected by an insulation 35, thus completely insulating the parts from each other.

In operation, when the device is used for heating an incubator the coil is introduced into the boiler as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing and the thermostat and switch box positioned at any suitable point within the incubator, the thermostat being regulatedto maintain a predetermined heat, and as the thermostat is in a cold condition it will be .contracted so as to cause the contact point 24-to engage the contact 18, thereby forming a circuit, and as soon as the plug 16 is engaged with the sourcc'of eneig the current will be directed through the coil, and said coil and parts connected therewith heated.

After the temperature has been raised to the desired point the thermostat will have expanded and raised the switch member so as to break the circuit between the contacts 18 and 24, thus preventing the temperature from rising above the prescribed degree. As soon as the temperature begins to lower, the thermostat will again contract, and again bring the contact point 24 in engagement with the contact 18, thus again closing the circuit through the coil and causing the same to become heated to a higher degree,

this operation continuing so long as the plug is connected with the source of electrical energy. and thus maintaining a substantially uniform temperature at all times.

While the device is primarily designed to I 'be used with heating means for incubators,

yet it will be clearly understood that the same may be used inconnection with hot water or steam plants for heating buildings or may be attached tov individual radiators for heatingsingle rooms, and owing to the manner of thoroughly insulating the coil and parts connected therewith, the danger of fire is entirely eliminated.

the combination with a pivotally mounted arm and temperature influenced means for operating said arm, of a switch member, a box through which one end of the switch member extends, a clip at the extending end of the switch member through which said arm extends, an insulating lining Within the clip, a contact carried by the switch member, a partition in said box, a contact carried by thopartition for cooperation with the contact of the switch memberand circuit wires connected respectively to said switch member and last contact.

2. In a circuit closer for an electric heating device, a circuit making and breaking mechanism comprising feed wires, a post to which onesection of one of said wires is attached, a contact point to which one end of the other section of one of said wires is attached, a switch member attached to said post and extending over said contact, and a contact point carried by the switch. member adapted to cooperate with the first contact for forming a circuit and means influenced. by the atmospheric temperature for operating said switch member to make or break the circuit to maintain the temperature at a predetermined degree.

3. In a circuit closer for an electric heating device, a circuit making and breaking mechanism comprising circuit forming wires, a post to which one section of one of contact, a contact point carried by the .I

switch member adapted to cooperate with the first contact for forming a circuit, a clipat the free end of said switch member, an in sulatmg lining for said clip, a pivoted arm extending through said clip, and a thermostat connected with the arm for operating the arm to make and break the circuit.

In Witness whereof, we have hereunto affixed our signatures.

HERBERT E. WELCHEL. AARON A. MeCRAY. 

